1G33-34.] CHRISTMAS. 37 



man looked at him with astonishment, and, giving 

 over the attempt to frighten him, presently returned 

 to his senses.^ 



Le Jeune, robbed of his sleep by the ceaseless 

 thumping of the sorcerer's drum and the monoto- 

 nous cadence of his medicine-songs, improved the 

 time in attempts to convert him. " I began," he 

 says, " by evincing a great love for him, and by 

 praises, which I threw to him as a bait whereby I 

 might catch him in the net of truth." ^ But the 

 Indian, though pleased with the Father's flatteries, 

 was neither caught nor conciliated. 



Nowhere was his magic in more requisition than 

 in procuring a successful chase to the hunters, — a 

 point of vital interest, since on it hung the lives of 

 the whole party. They often, however, returned 

 empty-handed; and, for one, two, or three succes- 

 sive days, no other food could be had than the bark 

 of trees or scraps of leather. So long as tobacco 

 lasted, they found solace in their pipes, which sel- 

 dom left their lips. " Unhappy infidels," writes 

 Le Jeune, "who spend their lives in smoke, and 

 their eternity in flames ! " 



As Christmas approached, their condition grew 



1 The Indians, it is well known, ascribe mysterious and supernatural 

 powers to the insane, and respect them accordingly. The Neutral 

 Nation (see Introduction, p. xliv) was full of pretended madmen, who 

 raved about the villages, throwing firebrands, and making other displays 

 of frenzy. 



2 " le commen9ay par vn te'moignage de grand amour en son endroit, 

 et par des loiianges que ie luy iettay comme vne amorce pour le prendre 

 dans les filets de la verite. Ie luy fis entendre que si vn esprit, capable 

 des choses grandes comme le sien, cognoissoit Dieu, que tons les Sau- 

 uages induis par son exemple le voudroient aussi cognoistre." — Relation, 

 1634, 71. 



4 



